


Showing You Care

by wonderlandiscrumbling



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: FTM, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Gift Giving, M/M, Trans Ed Nygma, implied future dating, takes place during season four, they both have crushes on each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-03
Updated: 2018-01-03
Packaged: 2019-02-28 00:23:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13259700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wonderlandiscrumbling/pseuds/wonderlandiscrumbling
Summary: Oswald still enjoys giving gifts to Ed to show that he does care for him, especially when it's something he knows that Ed needs.





	Showing You Care

Ed ran his fingers over the rough worn white material. He let out a frustrated sigh as he brushed his thumb over yet another small forming hole in the soft elastic material, smaller than the other two holes, but it would grow over time. He slipped his arms through the straps of the binder pulling it up, it easily wrapped around his small frame, but wasn’t fitted to his liking these days. Another sigh as he fussed with the worn Velcro, no longer holding as securely as it once had. He quickly pulled on his dress shirt, buttoned it, and then pulled on his green suit jacket. This one a shade of green that Oswald seemed to prefer, unlike the more garish shades that Ed personally preferred to wear. He rolled his eyes as he thought about the lecture Oswald had given him when he had seen his green suit coated with sequins and glitter, a suit that was safely sealed away in a locked black box on the top shelf of Ed’s closet. He refused to let Oswald toss it into the fireplace, which had been his original thought upon seeing the suit.

He approached the full-length mirror that sat in the corner of the bedroom, he looked over himself, adjusted his glasses, smoothed out the front of his jacket, and ran his fingers through his hair once more before giving an affirming nod to his reflection. He turned on his heel, a bit anxious to distance himself from the mirror. He was doing well lately, he was fearful of seeing that other self again. The Riddler, the more unhinged and uncontrolled side of himself had a tendency of only showing when he felt he had a good handle on his life for once. Right now, Ed felt content and in control. Originally when he had agreed to move back into the Van Dahl estate he had considered asking Oswald to remove the mirror from the guest room and adjoining bathroom, but he hadn’t felt like divulging the reason as to such a request. They were finally working back to good terms, he didn’t feel like putting them back on unsteady ground.

Ed made his way to the door, he was in no rush, and it was still quite early, but he felt as if he’d already wasted enough time getting ready. He was stopped though when he opened his bedroom door to find Oswald on the other side, green eyes widening slightly as he took a step back. He cleared his throat and averted his eyes for a moment, a faint blush spreading over his cheeks causing his freckles to stand out more prominently, a second later he seemed mostly composed. Ed noticed he had one hand behind his back as if hiding something.

“Oswald, what are you doing up here, is there something wrong?” He asked continuing to look over the other man.

Oswald smiled as if to assure him that he was fine, he held up a hand as if to cut him off from further questioning.

“Perfectly fine, mostly. I actually was up here, because I have something I wanted to give you.”

“Oh, really.” He responded, a tone of confused surprise in his voice. He stared at the other man dumbly for a moment, he felt an odd momentary sense of awkwardness as they looked at each other.

“Do you mind if I come inside?” Oswald eventually asked looking past him and into the bedroom.

“Of course, sorry” Ed muttered as he stepped aside allowing him inside. 

He watched as Oswald entered the room, he looked around it as if it were completely new to him. Ed eyed the black box he held behind his back, watched as he placed it onto the bed then turned his attention back to Ed.

Ed approached the bed, attention going from the box then back to Oswald as if awaiting permission to open a gift that was supposedly for him. “Can I open it?” He asked pointing towards the box. 

Oswald smiled and shook his head, “Yes, Ed, you can open it. I told you that I got it for you, I hope that you like it.”

He considered telling him he had no reason to buy anything for him, but he learned a long time ago that with Oswald that was an argument he didn’t want to have, the man for whatever reason enjoyed buying and making things for him, and truly he did always appreciate the show of kindness even if he rarely understood it. Ed removed the lid from the black box setting it to the side, he pulled at the green paper inside to reveal what his friend had bought for him. Carefully he pulled it out of the box, fingers brushing over the black material. 

“I hope that you like it, I assume at least that it is the right size, but if not, I can always trade it in for a size smaller or bigger.” Oswald prattled on from behind him, a nervous habit he had with him when he was never sure if one of his gifts met Edward’s imaginary standards or not.

Ed continued to look at the black chest binder he held in his hands, he smiled shaking his head. He felt a bit foolish when tears pricked the corners of his eyes, he gently sat the article back inside the box before turning to face Oswald, he wrapped his arms around his waist hugging him tightly catching the smaller man by surprise. Initially he tensed feeling Ed hugging him, within a second he relaxed and held him back, he smiled sighing as he felt warm breath against the side of his neck. Ed pulled back from the embrace, he placed his hands on his shoulders still smiling as he looked down at him.

“Thank you, Oswald, really you…You didn’t have to do this for me.” 

“Nonsense, I know that you’ve been using the same one for God knows how long now.” He smiled fondly looking away from him. “I believe you’ve had the same binder since when I was staying in your apartment and it looked like it was falling to pieces then too.” 

He felt an odd hit of nostalgia thinking about those days, sometimes he still wondered how differently things between them would have gone if he hadn’t turned him away after he’d been released from Arkham. Looking back on it he realized countless times how cruel that had been, his friend had needed shelter, and he was the only person he’d had then, he supposed even now that were true. 

“I’ve only really owned two, I suppose it really is time I retire this one. Thank you again, I really do appreciate….Wait, how do you know I’m still wearing the same binder?”

Oswald visibly tensed, cheeks flushing as he began to stammer out a response. Ed stood waiting patiently as he watched his friend mentally check through a list of awkward last minute lies he could come up with. 

Shrugging he looked towards the floor, “I just guessed.” 

Ed rolled his eyes, “Oh please, you were going through my things, weren’t you?”

Oswald glared up at him, he started as if to yell at him for accusing him of snooping, but then settled on honesty. “Fine I was going through your clothes, I was looking for that stupid glitter suit of yours.”

“I thought you said that I could keep it?”

“I lied, I was planning on looking for it while you were out on one of your jobs then I was going to throw it into the fireplace where it belongs, but I couldn’t find it.” He folded his arms across his chest, an annoyed look on his face.

Ed felt his own annoyance slip away from him as he looked at his petulant friend, he sighed and pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose before leaning down to press a kiss to the other man’s cheek. Oswald stared up at him wide eyed, lips parted as he stared at him in utter shock. Ed smiled, thanked him again, and then made his way out of the bedroom leaving behind his shocked friend. 

As he left the bedroom he planned possibly asking him out to dinner and wearing his green glitter suit that Oswald was so obviously fond of.


End file.
